Vacuum cleaner



Feb. 25, 1941. Q HQLM-HANSEN 2,233,167

VACUUM CLEANER Filed March 22. 1955 Inv ant or= Osmuncl Helm-Hansen,

9 m EAWW M i5 Attorney Patented Feb. 25, 1941 VACUUM CLEANER Osmnnd Holm-Hansen, Stratford, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation or New. York Application March 22, 1935Serial No. 12,357

16 Claims.

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type having a centriiugal separator for separating the dust from the air.

The object of my invention is to provide an 5 improved construction and arrangement in a vacuum cleaner or this type. For a consideration or what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vacuum cleaner embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 4 is a sec- 15 tional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a modification of myinvention.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l indicates the outer casing within which an electric motor-driven fan is mounted. The electric motor comprises a stationary member 2 which is re- .siliently supported on the outer casing by rubber bushings 3. The rubber bushings are secured intermediate their ends in openings 4 in the outer casing, and theweight of the motor is transmitted to these bushings by bolts 5. At the upper end of the stationary member 2 is a rubber ring 6 which resiliently centers the upper end of the motor within the outer casing and also seals the space between the upper end of the motor and the casing. The rotating member 'I of theelectric motor is carried on a shaft 8 which is journaled in upper and lower bearing housings 8 and Ill respectively. The lower end or the shaft 8 pro- 35 jects through the bearing housing l0, and to the projecting end of this shaft is secured a centriiugal ian'll which maybe 01' any suitable construction. A plate l2 which is secured to the lower end of the\outer casing by a rubber band It provides the bottom wall of the Ian housing. The bearing housing I and a flange It on the lower end of the stationary member 2 provide the upper wall of the fan housing. The inlet to the fan housing is provided'by a central opening IS in the plate l2. The air is discharged around the periphery oithe Ian and flowsupwardly through the space between the stationary member 2 and the outer casing I and through openings l6 which are spaced aroundthe outer casing. From these openings, the air is directed downwardlyin the direction indicated by the arrow ,by'a cylindrical'bailie I! which is spaced from and surroundsthe"outer casing and which extends below ithefopenings 18. This bailie is threaded on a flange I! which extends from the outer casing. To the lower end of the baiiie is fixed a rubber ring IQ of circular cross section. This rubber ring decreases the noise caused by the discharge of air past the lower end of the baflle. At the upper end of the outer casing l is a cord reel 20 on which the cord for supplying current to the electric motor is wound. The cord is guided to the reel by a guide 2! which is carried by the baflle l1. A handle 22 is provided above the cord reel.

The vacuum cleaner is provided witha centrifugal dust separator which comprises a cylindrical casing 23" having a tangentially directed air inlet 24 at the upper end to which a suction hose 25 is connected. The side walls of the casing taper downward and outward and at the lower end are provided with a curved flange 26 which rests on the inturned curved edge 210f a dust receptacle 28. A pair of rear supporting wheels 29 are carried on the dust receptacle on shaft 30, and a caster 3| is carried on the dust receptacle at the front in a bracket 32. The casing 23 is removably held in place on the dust receptacle by clamps 33 of suitable construction.

Secured to the upper edge of the casing 23 is the upper end of a tubular rubber sleeve 34. The sleeve depends within the casing and the lower end of the sleeve is provided with an in-turned flange 35 on which rests the out-turned flange 36 of a hollow dischargemember. The rubber ring l3 of the motor-driven fan unit rests on top of the flange 36. By this arrangement, the motor-driven fan unit is resiliently supported on the casing 23 by the rubber sleeve 34. This unit is fastened to the rubber sleeve 34 by suitable 35 latches (not shown) and the unit can be removed by lifting from the flange 35 after these latches are released.

Below the flange 36 of the hollow discharge member is a filter pad 31 which rests on a shoulder 38 on the inside of the discharge member. Below the filter pad the side walls of the discharge member taper inwardly and at the center are connected to a depending tube 39. This tube is provided with longitudinal slots 40, as shown I in Figs. 3 and 4. -.These slots are formed by cutting a slit in the side wall of the tube and forcing the material on one edge of the slit inwardly, as shown in Fig. 4. During the operation oi the cleaner, the air is whirling in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 4 and it is therefore necessaryfthat the air make a sharp turn of somewhat more than 90 degrees in order to pass through the slots 40. All except the finest par- ,ticles of dust which may be carried by the air Whirligig around the tube 39 are not able to make this s arp turn and are thrown outward by centrifugal force, and these slots therefore provide an arrangement for centrifugally separating the dust from the air. The tube 39 is open at the lower end. A plate 4| ishinged to the lower end of the tube and when the cleaner is not in use, it is biased by gravity to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. When the cleaner is in use, the plate 4| is lifted by suction to close the opening in the lower end of the tube. At the conclusion of the operation of the cleaner, the plate 4| returns to the dotted line position, and any fine dust which may have accumulated within the tube 39 falls through the open end of the tube into the dust receptacle.

In Fig. 5 is shown at Ma a modification of the construction of the plate H in which the plate is of somewhat larger diameter and is fixed to the lower end of the tube 33, closing the lower end of the tube. The plate 4la prevents upward flow of air above the center of the dust receptacle which would produce air currents interfering with the whirling motion of the air and thereby interfering with the centrifugal separation of the dust from the air.

When the cleaner is not in use, the hose 25 is coiled around the outside of the casing 23, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and is held in place by a hook 42 extending from the casing 23;

In the use-of the vacuum cleaner, the hose 25 is uncoiled from around the casing 23 and is 6011-. nected to a suitable cleaning tool 43, the dust receptacle 28 is then filled with water to the proper depth and the motor is started. A disinfectant may be added to the water to kill the bacteria which may be trapped therein. Also a perfume may be added to the water to provide a deodorant. The suction produced by the fan causes dust laden air to be drawn into the tangentially directed inlet 24 at the upper end of the casing 23. This causes the dust laden air within the casing to move spirally downward in the form of a whirling annulus of air. The arrows indicate the motion of the air in the vertical plane. The

dust in the air is thrown by centrifugal force to the outside of the casing where it gradually set tles to the dust receptacle. The whirling annulus of-air is in contact with the water in the dust receptacle and causes a wave to be formed 'on the surface of the liquid'which travels circumferentially around the dust receptacle. The general position of the liquid in the dust receptacle at one instant is shown by the dotted line 44 in Fig. 3. At the right-hand side of'the dustreceptacle the liquid is below the normal liquid level. At the left-hand side the liquid is raised into a wave diagrammatically shown at 45. This wave sweeps around the inside of the dust receptacle and washes the side walls of the dust receptacle.

I find that the wetted side walls Ql'mth dust receptacle form surfaces which are very effective in trapping the dust, particularly the very fine dust, such as ragweed pollen andother fine plant pollen and bacteria. The washing action of the wave sweeping around the side walls of the receptacle keeps these surfaces clean and wetted so that they do not lose their effectiveness and also sweeps the dust into the liquid in the receptacle and traps the dust therein. The trapping of the dust in the liquid is-important' because otherwise the whirling motion of the airjwithin the dust receptacle would cause the dust to be continually 1 picked up by the air, and the dust would not be retained within the dust receptacle. Obviously, if

separated is kept within the.

the slots 40 in the tube 39 upwardly through the tube, through the filter pad 31, to the inlet opening II. From here, the air is discharged around the periphery of the fan through the space between the stationary member 2 of the motor and the casing I, through the openings. IS in the casing, and downwardly around the lower edge of the baille H. In passing through the slots 40, the air makes a turn of somewhat more than 90 degrees, and the particles of dust which may be in the air are thrown outwardly and do not pass through the slots. The suction in the tube 39 causes the plate 4| to be drawn up againstthe lower end of the tube 39. This closes the end of the tube so that all air will pass through slots 40. It is dewalls of the casing and the casing'would have to be cleaned. Also the presence of dust on the side walls of the casing would increase the friction and thereby decrease the speed of the-whirling air.

The in-turned edge 21 of the dust receptacle assists in keeping the side wallsof the casing'23 dry. This in-turned' edgeprevents the circumferentially traveling wave on the surface of the liquid from rising above the dust receptacle, and directs the liquid in the wave inwardly, asindicated diagrammatically by the arrows 46.

The dust which is too fin to be centrifugally be 39 by the filter 31. When the cleaner is shut down, the plate 4| returns to the bottom line position of Fig. 3, and this dust falls through the open end of tube, 39 into the liquid in the dust receptacle. At the conclusion of the cleaning, the dust receptacle may be removed and the contents emptied down a drain and the dust receptaclemay then be refilled with clean water. v

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the plate 41 is fixed'to the lower end of the tube 39 and extends a considerable distance over the center of the liquid in the dust receptacle. This plate provides an area above the center of the liquidin which upward currents of air are prevented. These upward currents would interfere with the whirling motion of the air aboutthe tube 39 and thereby interfere with the centrifugal separation of the dust from the air. These upward currents might also cause the liquid in the dust receptacle to be lifted at the center and to be spattered over the inner walls of casing 23. v v

I When vacuum cleaner is to be used as a source of air pressure for operating paint sp'rayers or the like, the bailie i1 is turned down on the flan e l8 so that the ring I9 is forced against the casing I,

sealing the space between the lower end of the supported on legs 49 which are formed on hand aware s cu e v LettersPatent in the United States '18:"; 1

'1. Ina vacuum cleaner, a casing having an 'inletjfor dust laden.fair, means for .lproducing a whirling annulus. of "the air 1 within the casin which centrifugally separates, the dust frointhe air, a discharge outlet from the casing including a hollow. member extending into the center of What! claim as new and desire to the whin ng air and having, an. opening at the casing whereby it is movable between a position in which it's lower'end is'spaced from the easing and a position in" which its lower end engages .the casing to seal"the, space between, the bathe and casing, andv means providing a discharge outletv for thejair under pressure between the baflle and 'the. casing. 1 I

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having aliquid containing dirt receptacle at the lower; end, an inlet to the casing, suction meansffor" drawing dirt-laden air through the casing inlet, means producing 'awhirling annulus ofthe air ,withm the casing over the surface'of the liquid of sufilcie'nt 'speed to'caus'e a circumferentially traveling wave on the surfaceof' the liquid sweeping the casing and walls, and a discharge outlet from the. casing including a hollow member ex!- tending into the center of thefwhirling annulus of air, said member, having a closed lower end above the surface ofjtheliquid'and having openings in its side wallsjarranged so that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp corner whereby dirt is separated from the air entering the openings. I I

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an inlet for dirt-laden air and a liquid containing dirt receptacleat the lower end thereof, suction means for drawing dirt-laden air through the casing inlet, means producing a whirling annulus of the air within the casing in contact with the surface of the liquid and the casing walls, a discharge outlet from the casing comprising a hollow member extending into the center of the whirling annulus of air, said member having openings in its side walls arranged so that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp corner whereby dirt is separated from the air entering said openings, and a baflle spaced below said openings and above the surface of the liquid at the center of the receptacle for preventing upward flow of airin the region of said openings.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an inlet for dirt-laden air and a liquid containing dirt receptacle at the lower end thereof, suction means for drawing dirt-laden air through the casing inlet, means for producing a whirling annulus of the air within the casing in contact with the surface of the liquid and the casin walls, the air in said annulus rotating at sufficient speed to cause a circumferentially traveling wave on the surface of the liquidsweeping the casing walls, a discharge outlet from the .casing including a holiow member extending in- 'tofthe' centerfof the whirling annulus of air, said member.]having openings in its s'ide walls arranged so that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp corner whereby dirt is separated from,the air entering the openings, and aubailie above the surface of the liquid and below'said openings for preventing upward flow of 'airin the region of said openings.

1 6. In a vacuum cleaner, a chamber having a liquid containing dirt receptacle at its lower end,

an inlet to the chamber above the liquid, means for producing a whirling annulus. of air within the casing in contact with the surface of the liquid, and an outlet from the chamber including a hollow axiallyv extending. member depending .withinthe whirling annulus' o'f air and having openings in itsside walls through which theair flows, said openings being arranged with respec t {to the air so that the air entering the openings mustturn a sharp corner, the lower end of the outlet being closed and spaced from theupper surface ofthe liquid. N v "7 In a vacuum cleaneiga chamber having a liquid containing dirt receptacle at its lower end, .an inlet to the chamber, an outlet from the chamberincluding a hollow member depending centrally therein and having openings in its side walls through whichthe air flows, said openings being arranged with respect to the air sothat the air' entering the openings must turn a sharp corner, the lower end of said member being closed and spaced above the surface of the liquid, and means for effecting relative rotation between said member and the air whereby the dirt is centrifugally separated from the air flowing throughsaid openings. I I Y b 8..In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an inlet for dirt-laden air-and a liquid containing dirt receptacle at the bottom, a tubular member depending within the casing providing an annular passage between it and the casing, open,- ingsin the sidewalls of'said member for dischargingsair from the casing through said member,-, said openings being arranged withrespect to the air so that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp corner, means for eil'ecting relative rotation between the air and said member whereby the dirt is centrifugally separated from the air flowing through said openings, and means between said openings and the upper surface of the liquid for preventing upward flow of air in the region of said openings.

9. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an inlet for dust laden air, a suction nozzle for cooperation with the surface being cleaned, a passage leading from the suction nozzle to the casing inlet, suction means drawing-dirt-laden air through said nozzle and passage to the casing inlet, a tubular member within the casing providing an annular passage between it and the walls of the casing, means producing a whirling annulus of air in said passage, a liquid containing dust receptacle below said tubular member, the upper surface of the liquid being spaced from said member, the surface of the liquid therein being in contact with said whirling air, and openings in the walls of said tubular mem- 71 her for discharging air from the casing through said tubular member, said openings being arranged so that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp comer whereby dirt is separated from said air.

10. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an inlet for dust laden air, suction means drawing dirt-laden air through the casing inleha tubular member within the casing providing an annular passage between it and the walls ot'the casing. means producing a" whirling annulus o1 airi in said passage, a liquid containing dustreceptacle below said tubular member, openings in thewalls of said tubular member for discharging air from the casing through said tubular member, said openings being arranged-so that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp corner whereby dirt is separated from said air, and a baille between said openings and the surface of theliquid 'end' of the casing for directing dust laden air tangentially between said member and said casing, openings in the side walls of said hollow member at the lower end thereof arranged so that the air entering said openings must turn a sharp corner, and a dust receptacle at the lower end 01' said casing.

12. In a vacuum cleaner, a dust receptacle at,

the lower end, a motor driven fan above the dust receptacle, walls cooperating with the dust receptacle to provide a chamber below the fan and an inlet to the fan, said walls including walls of flexible material resiliently supporting the motor driven fan, an inlet to the chamber for dust laden air, a member within the chamber having openings through which the air flows to the fan inlet, and means producing relative rotation between said openings and the dust laden air, said openings being arranged so that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp comer whereby the dust is separated from the air flowing through the openings. I

13." In a vacuum cleaner, a dust receptacle at the lowerend, a motor driven fan above the dust receptacle, walls cooperating with the dust receptacle to provide a chamber below the fan and an inlet to the fan, an inlet to the chamber for dust laden air, means tor producing avwhirling annulus of air in the chamber, and a hollow member extending through the center of the whirling air and having openings in the side walls thereoi ior conducting air from the chamber to the fan inlet, said openings being ar- 7 ranged so that air entering the openings must turn a sharp comer whereby dirt is separated from the air enteringfthe openings. 14'. In, a vacuum cleanena; casing having an inlet thereto, an annular'member'of'flexible ma"- terial supported at its outer edge from the cas- 1 ing, a motor driven fan supported onjthe inner edge of said member for-withdrawing airtrom the casing, and means between the casing inlet I and'the motor driven fan and carried by said ,annular member for separating the dust from "the air by forcing'the air to turn a sharp corner. M 15. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing havinga dust receptacle at the lower end, a motor drivenvian unit supported within the casing in spaced relation to the casing wallsjand having a ran inlet 1 at the lower end, means sealing the space between the casing walls and the fan inlet'providing achamber including said: dust receptacle, an inlet to the chamber for dust laden air, a member'within the chamber having openings through which air flows to the fan inlet, and means producing relative rotation between said openings and the dust laden air, said openings being arrangedso that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp corner whereby the dust is. separated from the air flowing through the openings. i I

16, In a vacuum cleaner comprising, a casing having a liquid containing dust receptacle at the lower end, a motor driven fan unit supported within the casing in spaced relation to the easing walls and having a fan inlet at the lower end, means sealing the space between the casing walls and the fan inlet providing a chamber including said dust receptacle,'an inlet to the chamber for dust laden air, a member within the chamber having openings above the liquid level in the dust receptacle through which air flows to the fan inlet. and means producing relative rotation between said openings and the dustgladen air, said openings being arranged so that the air entering the openings must turn a sharp corner whereby the dust is separated from the air flowing through the openings.

OSMUND HOLM-HANSEN, 

